Financial Aid

Types of Aid

Federal Grants & Student Employment

Federal Pell Grant
The Federal Pell Grant is a federally funded, need-based grant that does not have to be repaid. Eligibility is determined by the federal government and the fund is offered to qualified undergraduate students who have not yet earned a bachelor's degree. Students must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in order to be considered for this grant. Students must maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA in order to continue receiving this grant.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)
SEOG is a federally funded need-based grant that does not have to be repaid. Federal funding for the SEOG is limited. These awards are offered only to students who are Pell-eligible. The standard award is $500 for a full-time student and $250 for a half-time student as long as funds are available. Students must maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA in order to continue receiving this grant.

State Grants
State grants are state funded awards issued by the state in which the student permanently resides. An estimate of the grant may appear on the student's award letter. Rivier University will be notified by the state agency of actual award amounts. Adjustments to the student's grant funding may be necessary if estimated and actual awards differ.

TEACH Grant
The TEACH Grant program will provide up to $4,000 a year in grant aid to undergraduate and graduate students. Students must file a FAFSA in order to be considered. Eligible undergraduate and post-baccalaureate students may not receive more than $16,000 and graduate students may receive no more than $8,000 in total TEACH Grants. In exchange for TEACH Grant aid, students must agree to serve as a full-time teacher at specified schools and teach in a specified field for four academic years within eight years after completing the college course. TEACH Grant recipients that do not fulfill their teaching obligations must repay the grant as if it was an unsubsidized Direct Loan with interest accruing from the first disbursement of the TEACH Grant. .Students must maintain a 3.25 cumulative GPA in order to continue receiving this grant.

Student Employment
Work Study is a great way to make some extra money to help with educational and personal expenses. Supervisors submit positions they have available in their department to the Financial Aid Office. The Financial Aid Office, in turn, posts them to the work study portion of the website. Students contact supervisors directly to inquire about positions and scheduling. Once a student has secured a job they complete the work study paperwork and necessary federal documents (I-9 and W-4) with the Office of Human Resources. Students are paid in a bi-weekly check and are paid $7.25 per hour. In addition to being an important part of the University community, work study gives students the opportunity to learn important skills. If you are interested in applying for work study employment, check out the work study page at https://www.rivier.edu/finaid/default.aspx?id=1237.